As women, we are constantly being told we cannot have it all. We are given options and told to pick three. For those of us who want it all, it can be a constant struggle to balance our expectation of what “all” is and how to achieve it. Countless books have been written that explores this topic but I wanted to share six books that tackles each area, from parenting, to money management, to breaking the glass ceiling and ensuring we are living a life that is true to our purpose and calling. Below are six books I think is for the woman who wants it all.
1. Very Good Lives: The Fringe Benefits of Failure and the Importance of Imagination by J.K. Rowling
“We do not need magic to change the world, we carry all the power we need inside ourselves already: we have the power to imagine better.”
J.K. Rowling delivered the commencement speech for Harvard University in 2008 entitled “Very Good Lives” This moving speech, packed with words of wisdom from the author who created Harry Potter was then released in book from. In “Very Good Lives” Rowling explores how we can embrace failure and use the learning to our benefit. She speaks on the importance of imagination and how we can use it help ourselves and those around us. We are all called to for a specific purpose only we can fulfill, “Very Good Lives” reminds us of this. The book also reinforces the point that we have control over our lives, we decide the kind of life we want to life. This book is a timeline reminder that the “magic” is already inside of us…what are you waiting for?
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2. Lean In: Women, Work and the Will To Lead by Sheryl Sandberg
Sheryl Sandberg at the time of writing this book was Facebook COO and one of Fortune magazine’s Most Powerful Women in Business. In “Lean In” she shares her experience on how she landed the role of COO at Facebook and offers advice on the small changes women can make that will have a major effect on their lives. I believe a lot can be gain by reading this book, especially if you are looking to climb that corporate ladder and having the career of your dreams. Sandberg points out the ways we sometime miss opportunities or how we as women sometimes get in our own way. She explored how so much is expected of women and how society places us in specific roles and if we try to break out of those roles we are considered not living up to the right expectations.
In “Lean In” Sandberg reinforces the point that ““Done is better than perfect.”… an area I am still battling with.
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3. What I Know For Sure By Oprah Winfrey
I mean, its Oprah! She is undeniable a force to be reckoned with, her list of achievements is exhaustive and in “What I Know For Sure” she gives advice on every area of life. This book is a compilation of lessons and truths that Oprah learned from her many experiences. What I love most about this book is how relatable and practical the advice is. This is definitely a book you revisit yearly or when you need direction or answers for a particular problem. In “What I Know For Sure” Oprah reinforces the point that “There is one irrefutable law of the universe: We are each responsible for our own life.”This is the perfect book for a young woman who is trying to make sense of the world.
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4. You Are A Badass: How To Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero
“If you’re serious about changing your life, you’ll find a way. If you’re not, you’ll find an excuse.”
While there is nothing new and ground-breaking between the pages of “You Are A Badass”, the sage advice given is refreshing, timely and hilarious. If you are ready to make a serious change in any area of your life, Success Coach Jen Sincero gives you the blueprint on how to identify and change your self-sabotaging ways. Too often we decide we want to be better but we don’t have the wherewithal to follow through on our goals. In reading this book, you will learn to identify all the areas in your life you haven’t been focusing on, and what changes you need to make to live an awesome life.This book is for the person who is serious about changing.
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5. Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by Brené Brown
“The willingness to show up changes us, It makes us a little braver each time.”
Brene Brown is famous for her TED Talk and her research on Shame. “In “Daring Greatly” Brown makes a case on why being vulnerable in every area of your life makes you more courageous and authentic. I know I struggle with being vulnerable because there so many possible ways it can turn out to be painful. After reading this book I understood how living wholeheartedly makes me more authentic and braver.
If you are struggling with shame of any kind, if you are not living wholeheartedly in every area of your life, this is the perfect book to pick up. I highly recommend reading “Daring Greatly” to anyone who wants to be braver.
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6. Selfish Shallow and Self-Absorbed Sixteen Writers on The Decision Not To Have Kids by Meghan Daum
“I will never regret not having children. What I regret is that I live in a world where in spite of everything, that decision is still not quite okay.”
“Selfish Shallow and Self-Absorbed” is an anthology, with sixteen writers, most women expounding on their decisions to not have kids. In an age where a lot if written about women “having it all” there is not a lot of focus on the women who believe not having children actually means “having it all”. This book is for the woman made a conscious, well-thought out decision to not have children but is constantly defending her choice because of societal expectations. The essays in this collection are deeply personal and at its core, it is a great reminder that we can live life on our own terms. We get to decide what “having it all” looks and feels like. It also reinforces the point that deciding to not have children does not make you shallow, selfish or self-absorbed.
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These six books comes highly recommended by me. If you are struggling in any area of your life or need direction or advice, picking up anyone one of these six books will offer the guidance you need.If you are looking for one book that covers it all, I suggest picking up Oprah Winfrey’s “What I know For Sure”.
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